'Walking' on the Saugatuck, Stand Up Paddleboarders make a splash

Jarret Liotta

Published 9:02 am, Sunday, June 1, 2014

Stand up paddleboarders navigate the Saugatuck River in the 3-mile open in Saturday's 2014 Soundsurfer Waterman's Challenge.
Photo: Jarret Liotta

Stand up paddleboarders navigate the Saugatuck River in the 3-mile...

A fleet of stand up paddleboarders competes in one of the Soundsurfer Waterman's Challenge races Saturday.
Photo: Jarret Liotta

A fleet of stand up paddleboarders competes in one of the...

Fernando Stalla, a world class stand up paddleboarder from Mexico, was among the favorites in the 7-mile Elite race of Saturday's 2014 Soundsurfer Waterman's Challenge.
Photo: Jarret Liotta

Fernando Stalla, a world class stand up paddleboarder from Mexico,...

Mark Herman of Westport and his dog Bailey have become paddleboard enthusiasts. As a puppy Bailey used to surf with Herman on the West Coast, and they have taken up paddleboarding since moving to Westport.
Photo: Jarret Liotta

SUP is Stand Up Paddleboarding and it's growing in popularity, as demonstrated Saturday by the Soundsurfer Waterman's Challenge on the Saugatuck River.

Around 120 fit and fun-loving paddlers took part in the 4th annual event, which raised money for diabetes research and several other causes. Four separate races took place, including a 7-mile elite competition that to took paddlers out the Saugatuck River, past Sherwood Point and back.

"There's a real competitive element to stand up paddleboarding now," said Kim Beaumont, owner of Downunder, which hosted the event from its Saugatuck location on Riverside Avenue.

There were 61 paddlers competing for the top $3,500 prize, including Fernando Stalla, a world-class paddler from Mexico.

"The best thing is the community," Stalla said of the burgeoning sport. "The people who do it -- everyone is like a big family -- something like surfing used to be."

"And it's a great physical sport, and you get to do it in beautiful places -- on lakes, on rivers, and on the ocean."

"Anyone can do it on their first day," Stalla said. "It's doesn't really matter how old you are. It doesn't matter how young you are."

"I started doing it and I really liked it," he said, "so I figured this was a good opportunity to get something going."

Pasquale's daughter Garbiella, now 10, has Type I diabetes, which inspired him to organize this fundraising event, which he said will bring in $15,000 to $25,000 each year, depending on turnout.

"The first year it was on the beach in Fairfield," he said, but then he partnered with Beaumont's business on the Saugatuck. Saturday's event also helped raise money for other charities including Al's Angels, FOCUS and Harborwatch.

"We're raising funds for children with diabetes, as well as the environment," Beaumont said.